curt 13323 hitch doesn't fit poor quality paint bad packaging

So I got my

$164 curt 13323 class 3 trailer hitch, 2" receiver, fits select toyota tacoma, GLOSS BLACK POWDER COAT

curt 13323 hitch I bought new online. It's meant for second gen, but I can't seem to make it fit. I measured the width and it's 37 1/8 inch and my frame rails are 37 1/2 inch. It's a big difference. It was the last straw. I was happy to buy a made in the US product because I figured the quality would be good or great. Looking on the website now showing all this quality control, but I'm puzzled of this shit quality that is worse than most chinese products I've seen.

When I got the hitch, it was just floating inside the box...the cardboard box was very well glued, but the hitch itself wasn't packed with foam or support. The paint was missing in some spots and I could live with it...I hit it with primer and paint to touch up the missing spots. So had 5 spots that needed touch up. Then there was another spot that patch actually cracked and I had to remove the defect about 4 inches by 1 inch. Bare metal wasn't prepped by the Curt properly so the coating didn't take.

So if the hitch was slightly bent, I could have just bent it...but when the hitch itself is smaller than the frame rails...that was too much for me. So I see good reviews for Curt, but how come I got such a crappy product? I get yield problems, so can anyone please help me out and tell me if their frame rails is also 37 1/2 inches? I want to know if this is an issue with my truck not being made to spec or Curt who didn't do a good job of making a jig to weld to make a proper fitting product.

So this is my mini review and question for help. Thanks!

 

Most likely a problem with the hitch. Check on the tw marketplace. I've sold an OEM hitch and seen countless others for sale. That'll be the best fit for your truck.

 

Did you measure the hitch at the mount points or at the hitch?

You can bend the arms back out to 37 1/2 inchs. I have heard of pwople having this issue and it was just the mounting arms were bent inwards slightly in shipping.

 

I was going to get an OEM hitch... I do have a concern some say that it won't fit the X brace from X runner with the OEM hitch. The Curt hitch claims it'll work with the Xrunner. I have to see if someone local has OEM hitch...I had one from further away, but scheduling didn't work out for us to meet.

Jimmyh. I measured at the base where the mounting arms attached. I thought about bending the mounting arms, but instead of having a squared fit |_____| shape, I will now have a \____/ shape and then having to add more torque try to make it fit. To me, they cut it too short. In manufacturing terms...it's not thousands of an inch tolerance that it is off....it's off by 3/8". So if the frame rails by Toyota was made that off...I wonder how many trucks are like this... or it's Curt that has bad quality control. It didn't look bent and so that's why I got the tape measure to see if I should bend it straight, but it was just too short by 3/8" to be the same as the frame rails. So for tolerance I would need another 1/8" for fitment so really it's 1/2" off.

So that's why I am asking if folks can measure and report back if 37.5" is the actual number or there's that's much slop with the Taco frame rails. I thought about getting another Curt hitch, but first I got to find out if Toyota or Curt is to blame for the fitment issue. I know Curt's paint quality control and their packaging engineer is lacking a great deal.

 

Also would it be a bad idea to use just the bumper and all a ball hitch to it to tow a 5x7 trailer with ramp from Uhaul and tow a 500LB tool box? Just looking at my options.

Anyone know of a hidden hitch that can go behind the license plate of the rear bumper and still use the stock bumper versus a full blown custom rear bumper?

 

I installed a

$164 Curt 13323 Class 3 Trailer Hitch, 2" Receiver, Fits Select Toyota Tacoma, GLOSS BLACK POWDER COAT

Curt 13323 on my '09. It fit like a glove.

I notice on the instruction sheet that Curt will replace or repair any produce with defects in material or workmanship "...when the product is returned prepaid..." I would think they should pay for shipping if it is incorrectly made. (I haven't had a chance to measure my frame width, but I would not expect Toyota tolerances to be that great.)

For towing a light trailer over decent roads, the bumper hitch should work satisfactorily. I broke the bumper supports on a T100 towing many times over a rough dirt road using a bumper hitch.

 

I know the place that installed mine pulled the bumper off and assembled both the bumper and hitch together as one piece. Could the bumper brackets make up the size difference and the gap space?

 

According to the instruction sheet (I don't recall the details--that was years ago) the bumper brackets fit on the outside of the hitch, which fits on the outer sides of the frame, so there isn't a gap. As the OP describes the situation, his hitch is too narrow to fit.

It took me a few minutes to understand it, too.

 

Yep my bumper brackets are outside the hitch brackets.
The hitch has 2 holes on the bottom that align with the threaded nuts on the bottom side
Of the frame. If those don't match up I would not install the hitch.
@Clearwater Bill

He installed his curt hitch, wait and see if he will chime in.

 

I measured again before I left for work. The Curt hitch I received is 37" and the Wings (mounting arms) is 37 1/8 inch. So far I got one member tell me his truck is 37.5" outside to outside frame rail...so I think it's Curt...but wait to get a few more measurements.

Skyway...the mounting arms are welding to the beam. There's no adjustments to be made. I am not going to be the mounting arms they are 1/4" thick or thicker if I remember right. I don't understand how a large company like Curt could have a variance like this given they claim they jig everything to make the hitch. How does one make a part 1/2 inch shorter using a jig? I couldn't get the hitch on period...it was hitting the frame rails and never made it to even rub the outside of the frame rails because it was more narrow than the frame rails.

Only thing I can think of is that Toyota changes their dimensions from model year to model year. I know when I got a LCE header, it didn't fit and they had to make an upgraded version to fit later model Tacos. I like to see if anyone with 2012 to 2015 chime to see if they fit. I'll give them a call tomorrow and see what they say.

 

Ok it's really dark outside and there's a big spare tire in the way.
There is a difference in size the brackets at the hitch welds are 37 1/4" apart
The brackets at the frame are spred at 37 3/4 and outside dimensions are 38 1/8"

I got a check that again

 

I do remember they said "Class 3"
And mine is rated at 5000 & 500.
I told the shop I only needed a Class 2,
But they insisted on the Class 3 as the best fit for Tacoma.

 

Mine has 2 chips in the paint finish too, I figured they did it during install.

 

I had no issue with my Curt hitch. Fit perfect. It's also been on for over a year and it still looks good. Is it possible that your truck was in an accident and the frame is out?

 

Best as I can tell you is my frame at the very rear end is 37" apart

 

After reviewing your OP.
With mine at frame spred at 37" in the rear.
A 37 1/8th bracket spred would bolt right in.

I think there's a difference in your frame.
The frame is open. And not a box weld frame, so it may be possible to bend the frame at the end,
Stumped...

 

I'm also a 5 lug wheeler

 

Spare tire shouldn't be in the way if you are measuring close to the bumper mount, but I have stock spare tire there for 5 lug...wasn't an issue for me when I measured. BTW are you measuring the truck frame rails or the Curt hitch? Your hitch if it's 37 3/4 would fit my truck as well I think if that's inside measurement of the mounting arms.

Truck was never in an accident I could tell...I got it used but with 1700 miles or so if I remember and my mechanic also checked the frame before I purchased it...I've been under the truck many times and no sign of any physical deformity.

So I checked with another member and his truck is also 37.5"... I think I need to find a common point to measure since the frame isn't perfectly flat perhaps Toyota has some bends in them... I can't imagine any engineer designing the frame would allow 0.5 in of slop in manufacturing tolerance...but I don't work in the auto industry.

 

I installed all of the following.

Curt trailer hitch 13323
Curt hitch wiring harness 55513
Curt 4-Way Flat Mounting Bracket 58300
Curt 4-Way Flat Dust Cap 58200

Hitch and harness from Amazon, bracket and cap from eBay.

IIRC the hitch arms were a tad wide at the cab forward end, actually making nice tension when pulled in via the mounting bolts. So no fitment issues. No finish issues.

It is a class III hitch, plenty more than needed for anything this little truck can pull. I basically installed it to hold a bed extender to support my kayaks.

Did it by myself in the drive, using a floor jack and jack stands as extra hands. Did not remove the bumper, although of course it was quite loose and had to be adjusted for position when done with the install.

The plug bracket I mounted under a small bolt at the back edge of the bumper. Trimmed the plastic center bumper cover to fit around it (bottom side, unseen) and drilled a new hole in the bracket to receive the larger bolt. Very slick looking, up tight and protected by the hitch from any potential normal road damage.

Under 1k in weight I'd be willing to use the bumper mount. Although it does create a bit of risk of bumper damage, even just connecting/disconnecting a trailer.

Edit: My frame outside/outside measures ~ 37-5/8", which of course is the inside measure of the hitch mounts up high.

Hitch goes up first, bumper mounts then sit on top of hitch mounts. There is a shim that was provided to support the bumper mount to frame fit where it bolts up w/o being over the hitch, to prevent it from warping. One shim each side.

 

I installed a 235 / 75 spare tire. Is definitely in the way...
Put a curve in the tape and thus an inaccurate measure in my first report.
Sounds to me like there is the additional 1/2 " frame width diff. In the X-Runner.
Since y'all are coming up with a different size than us.
Can't imagine where they would alter the frame as surely they would have all the same fitment
For body panels.

Thanks for reporting Clrwtr Bill